There was quite a lot of “Pow!”, quite a lot of “Wow!”, and it was definitely “now”.
Billing themselves as “Australia’s newest orchestra”, Deep Blue is anything but a traditional symphony orchestra.No
conductor, no music stands or scores, no brass or winds, lots of
electronics and special lighting, all coming together to make some quite
exciting sounds, and some impressive overall effects.
Even
before anyone appeared on stage, the moving images on the multiple
screens behind the battery of electronics portended the unusual for an
orchestral concert. From the moment the string players marched
in playing an arrangement of Mars the Bringer of War from Gustav Holsts’s The Planets suite,
with nicely coordinated images on the screens, the full audience in the
Festival Theatre knew we were in for something different.
Moves
were well coordinated/choreographed, and the projected imagery, varying
from patterned effects, to internal human and foetal anatomy, to
superimposed visuals of the players themselves as they played and
moved, was mostly apposite.Cellos were never built to be
played in motion, or lying down, let alone on stilts while walking
backwards, but it is very clever.
Not only are there some fine players among this Brisbane group, but there are some fine composers as well. The
genre, which is sort of classics meets rock meets electronics with
lighting and movement, allows all kinds of experimentation, and new ways
of bringing a range of music to a new audience.So new works and arrangements by members of the group were well featured, showcasing their multiple talents.
Digital
tracks and new electronic instruments are bound to have a big future,
and there is no reason why they shouldn’t be combined with the
traditional ones.Not all electronic instruments are so
new, however – the theremin, which was featured in a couple of numbers,
and is played by hand movements which never touch the instrument, was
invented in 1919.It has limited appeal, but deserves to be shown off as part of the experimentation of this kind of music.
The
major down side of the electronic involvement, with backing tracks and amplification of all instruments is that we could just as easily be
listening to a recording being mimed as to a live performance.We could tell the strings were actually playing in their adaptation of the gentle 4th movement of Mahler’s 5th symphony.It had a ragged edge or two (might a conductor have helped?) but it was a nice demonstration of the versatility of the group.
One
of the highlights of the concert was the inclusion of “Young Blue” –
members of Adelaide Youth Strings – who joined in the genre with gusto.Their pint-sized violist/electric guitarist William Raftery wowed with his solos. This could be a name to watch.
This is not music for the purist.But
it is a genre whose time has come. Music, like language, is a living
thing and has always moved with its times. Deep Blue is on the edge of
something which is sure to develop.It may well wow now, but the question for its future is “how?”Only time will tell.
Adelaide Festival Centre's Symphonic program presents Deep Blue
Venue: Festival Theatre When: 18 April 8pm, 19 April 3pm & 8pm Bookings: BASS on 131 246 or online at www.bass.net.au
i saw these guys in Albury on Monday night, and anything less of WOW was am understatement..... From the time they came on, till they went off the stage, it was nothing short of spectacular, brilliant, mixing old with the new. Endless strings!!!!! One to watch out for if you havent caught them live already.
I saw these amazing people at the bunbury BREC Centre and was the most amazing show i've ever seen. Most people would think that an orchestra would be like the old classical music but if anyone should go watch do because their the best!!!
The Hypocrite | Melbourne Theatre Company
Outstanding among the actors is Garry McDonald, who blasts on to the stage with a tempestuous energy, sweeping the play along in a torrent of words.
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There was quite a lot of “Pow!”, quite a lot of “Wow!”, and it was definitely “now”.
